First they came for the toilets, and I sat idly by, next it was smokers, and I said nothing. They took the fluorescent light bulbs away and I hid in the dark. Then they came for the trans-fat, and I let it slide on by. They came for the 16oz sodas, and I turned away. Finally they came for the chips and the milk, and I said enough! Right now, if I lived in New York City, I’d be breaking the law. Add a bag of popcorn and I could potentially be a felon. There could be police check points as you enter the movie theatre. “Tickets please, would you mind removing your shoes?”

“Dude all I have are Raisinets.” Why chocolate covered raisins are called Raisinets; and chocolate covered peanuts not called peanutets? I mean why not just call them chocolate covered raisins? Perhaps the better question is, why not a fancy name for chocolate covered peanuts? Sorry, just random thought.

It seems that the Mayor of New York wants to become “Nanny in Chief.” Is his goal to make the “Big Apple” the “Small Apple?” If I choose to move to NYC, why can’t I be a French fry eating, soda slurping, chain smoking, fat slob? Perhaps the Mayor would like to check my underwear and see if I’ve changed it? Of course that is the TSA’s job, but hell, given the current state of our federal, state, and local governments. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind joining together to limit our freedoms even further.

However, we willing accept these infringements as they are for our safety. Take a look around; there are so many surveillance cameras today that I’ve applied for my Screen Actor’s Gild card. The state Legislature wants to pass a law that would allow Philadelphia to continue using cameras at red lights and would extend their use to other cities in Pennsylvania. I’m all for safety and security, but at what cost? Think about it, we spend more time on camera than Mel Gibson.

The soundtrack of our lives should be the Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” We are told what to eat, what to drink, what type of light bulbs we can use, and who to marry. We are being recorded on cameras almost everywhere we go, stopped at seatbelt and DUI checkpoints. It doesn’t surprise me that I can’t have a 16 oz pop, since I can only have 1 ½ gallons of water in my toilet. For the love of God, can’t you leave us alone and let us live our lives.